Power Rankings: Toughest NFL teams to understand
Chris Simms and Tank Williams break down their list of the toughest NFL's teams to understand.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
TANK WILLIAMS: All right, Chris, we're at that point in the season where we used to have a pretty good beat on who these teams are. Either you're really good or you're really terrible, but there's some teams that still confuse the hell out of me. So I'm gonna give you my rankings, then let's see if they kind of jive up.
So at number three I have the Houston Texans because they go out and they beat the Chiefs, and then they lose to the Indianapolis Colts. They beat the Patriots, and then they lose to the Broncos. So since they beat the Titans and they're leading in the AFC South division now, does that mean that they're gonna lose to the Bucs? I mean, that seems to be the trend, so I'm interested to see how they gonna finish out the season.
At number two, the San Francisco 49ers. And it's pretty simple, man. Dog, if you gonna be a dog and go deep into the playoffs, you have to win your home games. And I understand losing a close game to Seattle in the primetime game, but you let Atlanta come out and whoop you on your own field? But that's just a game that you can't lose when you jockeying to become the number one seed in the division.
And at number one, the Dallas Cowboys. Like who in the hell was that team that we watched on Sunday, bro? Because I thought they were dead in the water. I thought the Rams were surging, and then they just beat the brakes off of them.
And so I'm really confused. I don't really know what team I'm seeing. So I'm interested to see if they're gonna keep that same energy when they go into Philadelphia this week.
CHRIS SIMMS: Well, yeah, they got the talent, and we know that. They just can't ever seem to put the whole game together, whether the defense and the offense both being dominant at the same time or the offense getting a whole bunch of yards but it doesn't always correlate to points. I mean, it's just always seems to be an issue.
And you're right, it kind of all went to a pinnacle last week against the Rams where they played their best, most complete game. And it just showed you how dominant they can be when they play that style.
But, OK, if I had to make my list, right? I'll say this, I disagree with you on the 49ers. I wouldn't put them in the top three.
Hey, the Falcons are my number three team. That would be the three that I would say. What the hell are they? I mean, yeah, they still got talent on that football team. They're all over the map too.
I don't know what to expect. Here they've beaten the Saints and the 49ers the last few weeks and had a whole bunch of ugly losses and performances throughout the year mixed in with it. So--
TANK WILLIAMS: But I think we know what that is. That means that Dan Quinn has lost the team. Because if you have enough talent to beat two of the better teams in the NFC, yet you still have a really terrible record, that means that your message isn't being conveyed properly to the team, which means that unfortunately you got to go.
CHRIS SIMMS: Number two, OK, I'm gonna go-- we don't have to go any farther than the state of Texas. I'm with you. I'm going with the Houston Texans.
TANK WILLIAMS: Yeah.
CHRIS SIMMS: I don't know what the hell to think. I don't trust their defense. I think that's really all we're talking about when it comes to the Houston Texans. One week--
TANK WILLIAMS: You know what it--
CHRIS SIMMS: --it looks good.
TANK WILLIAMS: --is to me though, bro?
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah.
TANK WILLIAMS: I wonder if they're just trying to make it into the playoffs, or do they really want to win a Super Bowl? Because it seems like they're just trying to get in the dance. It doesn't seem like they're trying to win it.
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah, well, you're right. They're dangerous if they can get in. And I think the offense, they have to have Will Fuller out on the field for them.
TANK WILLIAMS: Yeah.
CHRIS SIMMS: That's the one thing I see.
TANK WILLIAMS: He's the X-factor.
CHRIS SIMMS: When he's not there, they're not the same team. And they can almost win a shootout type of game when he is there between him, Stills, and Hopkins. Defensively, I do think they're feeling the wrath of not having a JJ Watt or a Jadeveon Clowney up front.
TANK WILLIAMS: Very true.
CHRIS SIMMS: But I'm with you, the Texans. And then number one, I'm on the same page. I mean, come on, the Dallas Cowboys. I mean, where the hell has that Ezekiel Elliott been all year? Ezekiel Elliott, I mean, he was hopping around and moving and making people miss.
The defense was all over the place in that game. If they play like that-- that's what's amazing about the NFC. They got the talent to play with anybody if they just put it all together.
TANK WILLIAMS: I feel like if the Cowboys can kind of leverage that momentum that we saw against the Rams and kind of propel that into the playoffs, then it's a team that may actually be able to do some damage. But if we don't see that same team, if we don't see that same energy in Philly on Sunday night, everybody gonna start seeing their walking papers, starting with Jason Garrett.
CHRIS SIMMS: Yeah, they'll be in trouble. I agree. And they got to play through the run first. I agree with you there. Play-action off of the run. Ezekiel Elliott.
That's what you were built for. You've got $100 million offensive line and an almost $100 million running back. That's where it's got to start. But if they get hot, watch out because they will be able to make moves in the NFC playoffs.
TANK WILLIAMS: Yep.